Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
The cross references for Hebrews 11:21 relate to the theme of faith, blessings, and worship. In the first reference, Genesis 47:31-48:1, Jacob shows his faith in God by swearing to Joseph and bowing in worship over his bed. In the second reference, Genesis 48:5-22, Joseph's faith is demonstrated by entrusting his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to Jacob for a blessing. Both references show how faith, blessings, and worship are intertwined.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Genesis 47:31-48:1: And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed. After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. | Both passages discuss Jacob blessing his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim, before his death. Hebrews 11:21 describes Jacob's act of faith in bowing in worship over the head of his staff while blessing his grandsons. Genesis 47:31-48:1 provides the context for this blessing, with Jacob asking Joseph to swear to him before he blesses Manasseh and Ephraim, and then bowing himself upon the head of his bed. |
| Genesis 48:5-22: And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” | Both passages refer to the blessing of Jacob, Joseph's father, on the sons of Joseph. In Hebrews 11:21, Jacob is described as blessing each of Joseph's sons while bowing in worship over the head of his staff. In Genesis 48:5-22, Jacob is seen blessing Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and acknowledging them as his own. Jacob's blessing is further extended to the children born to Joseph after his two sons. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your faithfulness to Your people. We thank You for the example of Jacob, who in his dying moments blessed his sons with a deep faith and reverence. We pray that You would give us a similar faith, that we may bow in worship over the head of our staff and bless our children with Your love and grace.
We also thank You for the example of Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were blessed through the faith of their father. May we too have the courage to trust in Your will and Your promises, even when it seems impossible.
We pray that You would bless our families and our children, that they may grow in faith and love for You. Give us the strength to raise them in Your ways, that they may know and love You all the days of their lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
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